(Newser)
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As if reviving the economy, reforming health care, taming North Korea, and forging relations with Iran weren’t challenges enough, President Obama may soon have to deal with the death penalty. Within months, the cases of six federal death-row inmates, all black and all convicted of capital murder, could land on his desk. He’s on record pressing for death penalty reforms, but also supporting the death penalty for particularly heinous crimes, Politico reports.

AG Eric Holder has authorized prosecutors to seek the death penalty for at least 4 defendants since January. But one capital punishment opponent says Obama might change his mind when he’s tasked with deciding a man’s fate, and another notes that crime is a lower priority since the crime rate has dropped, making the death penalty less of a hot-button issue. Now, “the economy is Number 1, 2, and 3.”

In Texas we have the death penalty..the only problem...it takes forever to actually get the criminal terminated. Appeal after appeal and 15 years later and lots of tax dollars later...they get their day and if a last minute appeal comes in...it starts all over again. Each state determines if they will have a death penalty and they should leave it that way...except they should allow the people of their state to vote on the decision...this is not the Presidents problem...it should be each states problem.

Riffran

Jun 22, 2009 8:55 AM CDT

I have to agree with "john" on the justification of capital punishment for rapist, child molesters, and murderers, and a special seat in the needle row those that also maim another on purpose...like that poor women who needed a new face because her slimeball hubby (I think) shot her ....and only got 7 years...THAT dude qualified for the chair if you ask me